GF is usually associated with elite sports and closed clubs, but today it also serves as a place of rehabilitation, a space for psychological recovery for war veterans and even a diplomatic signal for peace. For Ukrainian veterans, this game is an opportunity to regain strength, feel equal again and find harmony after the traumas of war.
In the 21st century, issues of national importance can be influenced by playing golf or even using sports equipment. US President Donald Trump mentioned in one of his books that he sees human nobility through playing golf. On August 18, 2024, the US President received a unique gift from Ukrainian serviceman Konstantin Kartavtsev – a golf club.
Konstantin Kartavtsev (left)
PEACE CLUB
Konstantin Kartavtsev learned to play golf despite serious injuries that resulted in the loss of his right leg. Before the full-scale Russian invasion, he held the position of head of sales at a Kherson food company. However, when Russia launched a major offensive in Ukraine, he joined the army in the first months, where he was in the 95th Airborne Assault Brigade.
A year later, in April 2023, while rescuing wounded comrades, Konstantin stepped on an enemy mine and lost a limb. However, in December 2023, he returned to serve in his native 95th Brigade, where he continues to perform his duties despite the amputation.
Konstantin first tried golf two years ago during post-operative rehabilitation.
“Here you can develop endlessly, because there is no limit to perfection. At the same time, this is a unique reboot of consciousness: before each strike, you need to concentrate so much that all other thoughts simply disappear,” noted Kartavtsev, a correspondent for Ukrinform.
In August 2024, the Ukrainian veteran wrestling team took part in the International Grandmaster Championship for the Disabled for the first time. For Konstantin, it was also his debut at this level. In three days, he ran 54 feet and about 35 kilometers on a prosthesis. As a result of the tournament, he entered the top ten participants. He combines training with service in the Armed Forces of Ukraine and raising three children with his wife.
Eksandr Kikin
Currently, Konstantin trains at the United by Gf Adaptive Sports Club in the Kyiv region, where about 50 Ukrainian veterans of the Russian-Ukrainian war currently train regularly.
It was here that the idea of giving President Donald Trump a special club was born. Konstantin chose a putter, a club used to deliver the final blow in a game. It was engraved with the words: “Let’s create peace together!”
“Today I introduce my girls’ club to you not as an athlete, but as a warrior who dreams of peace through strength,” Konstantin said in a video message to Trump.
Trump responded with a video message thanking the Ukrainian serviceman.
In a conversation with Ukrinform, Konstantin explained his position: “Simply ‘peace’ means capitulation. That is why Ukrainian soldiers are fighting now – not for peace, but for victory. A real, lasting peace is possible only from a position of strength – when Ukraine is strong in the military and economic aspects. History shows that Russia has always waged wars: against Finland in 1939, against Georgia in 2008. Russia is not giving up its imperial ambitions even now, unlike the civilized world. Therefore, the only way to peace in Europe today is to make Ukraine strong enough to resist the aggressor and prevent a new war.”
AMPUTATIONS ARE NOT AN OBSTACLE FOR GF
Training at the United by Gf adaptive club started in the spring of 2023, the club’s director Natalia Tereshchuk told the Ukrinform agency.
Natalia has been working in the Federation of Women’s Grace of Ukraine since 2008. This federation is officially recognized as the National Sports Federation by the Ministry of Youth and Sports of Ukraine, and in 2012 it became a full member of the National Olympic Committee.
At the end of 2022, the President of the Federation of War Veterans E. Korban proposed
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